Three Flights, With Pairings
Red Barn, Santa Ynez
Tasted May 11, 2016 by JonnyG with 477 views
Introduction
Our chef-host wanted to use blind tastings to focus on the elevation achieved through an outstanding food pairing, in this case three of his very favorites. We had ten-fifteen minutes with each set of wines before the food accompaniment was brought in.
Flight 1 - Sweet Wines and Foie Gras, Two Ways (3 notes)
I loved starting off with stickies, and this of course is a classic pairing. The protein was served simply sautéed with Asian pear, and seared then placed atop a grilled brioche cake. The three sweeties were tremendously different from one another. I mistook the Ojai Eiswein for something from the Okagon Valley. The Dolce was probably the best alongside the food. I found the Sauternes to be a touch on the flabby side, lacking the acidity to really soar alongside the unctuous foie gras.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1996 Château d'Yquem
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
The best -- and most traditional -- of the flight, with tremendous freshness and youthfulness. Still a baby, with a somewhat simple palate for an Yquem, lacking the vibrant acidity I look for, similar to my last (non-blind) encounter with this.
Flight 2 - Pinots and Mushroom Risotto (4 notes)
I have to confess I would not have thought of risotto as a classic Pinot pairing, and I am not sure it worked to perfection, but it was delicious and did evoke an interesting discussion around whether the Sta. Rita Hills' signature varietal would ever develop a go-to pairing of its own -- maybe salmon, some thought. It is interesting to note the close association of so many of the world's iconic wines with a local specialty (Barolo & truffles came to mind). Is this a requisite to achieve "classic" status, or just the outcome of centuries of culture, branding and the power of suggestion?
Red
2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
From a 375. Pale red with some evident bricking on the rim. More fruity than floral on the nose. Ripe red fruit and a touch of smoke. Dense and chewy in style, more lush than I prefer.
Red
2005 Méo-Camuzet Frère et Sœurs Fixin 1er Cru Clos du Chapitre
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Fixin 1er Cru
Opened for a mere hour and not decanted, which really hurt the showing of this wine. It took 40 minutes for an intense funk to blow off, revealing an enticing mix of sweet and sour berries that will benefit from many more years of bottle age. Wish I could have revisited in ten hours, or ten years.
Red
2002 Bonaccorsi Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Fresh and vibrant, with impressive floral and fruit aromas, and a sweet, earthy palate showing more black fruit than red. Seemingly with many years ahead of it.
Red
2011 Joseph Phelps Pinot Noir Freestone Vineyards
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
A nice entry-level Pinot, seemingly now in the heart of its drinking window (which should last many years). Simple, fruit-forward and distinctly New World. I wouldn't reach for it, nor would I push it away.
Flight 3 - A Funked-Up Cabernet Flight, Paired with Grilled and Fried Squab (4 notes)
"Funked," in that each of the wines featured its own rather different set of issues on the nose, a bit odd for the varietal. None lasted too long, and the squab played well off of the soft fruit and structure of most of the wines.
Red
2008 Joseph Phelps Insignia
USA, California, Napa Valley
This should have been held for a few more years, or at least given a generous decant. As it was, the wine was restrained and backwards, displaying little of the dominant Cabernet. Tart black fruit and a touch of menthol. Should merit a meaningfully higher score over time.
Red
1998 Henry's Drive Cabernet Sauvignon
Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Padthaway
I found it a bit surprising to realize that I think this was my first Henry's Drive, and I really enjoyed it. Distinctly Aussie, with signature mint aspects that did not distract from ripe blue fruit and a nice spice palate. Lush, fully integrated tannins. No signs of aging.
Red
2002 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
A barely-there bouquet was my first warning sign that this wine might not be offering up too much, and while I'm on record for being skeptical about almost all 2002 Bordeaux, bear in mind please that this was served blind. On the palate I got muted red berries, green pepper and a clipped finish. The bottle did not seemed to be flawed, who knows...
Closing
Chef: mission accomplished -- the shared focus on the food took pressure off of discerning nuances of the wines within each flight, and let us instead indulge in how complementary your food was to each vinous offering. I am grateful to have been included.
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